The labor shortage for high-skilled level jobs may have encountered an innovative solution to an old-age problem.
There’s a push to attract and keep workers for high-skilled jobs in Southeast Michigan.
“Global Detroit is an organization that focuses on integrating and helping integrate immigrants into the Michigan community,” said Max von Wels said.
Von Wels’ job is about job creation. As an impact analyst at the economic development organization, he’s always crunching the numbers.
“How many jobs have we created,” von Wels said. “How much have the startups we’ve helped to locate into Michigan? How much revenue do they do?”
The nonprofit works primarily with talent worldwide, but the focus is not on blue-collar jobs for immigrants.
“We absolutely do have high-skilled stem shortages in our workforce,” said Steve Tobocman, executive director of Global Detroit.
The phrase ”Brain Drain" refers to the exodus of talent leaving for better opportunities.
Regional partners, including von Wels, looked at international students enrolled at Michigan universities and colleges.
“So, when we look at electrical engineering and computer science – predominately international students are taking those jobs, so we just need those skills to stay in Michigan,” he said.
The organization said there are currently 33,000 international students in Michigan.
The thinking? If the future of cars is going to be designed in Southeast Michigan, then the region needs to create a pipeline of highly skilled employees.
Simultaneously, Global Detroit also works in other sectors like start-ups and biotech companies.
According to the U.S. Census, immigrants comprise about 7% of Michigan’s population.
The data reports that 65.7% of foreign-born, non-U.S. citizens who are 16 years of age and over are employed in the state.
At a time when immigration is a polarizing issue, supporters say this shows another side to the immigrant experience in America.
“Really what we see is every day in communities is that new folks arrive, put down roots, put down business on main street, contribute back to the economy,” said Rachel Peric, executive director of Welcoming America.
Peric said Welcoming America is also a non-profit working to make the workplace more inclusive for people, whether employees have just arrived or been here for generations.
Detroit recently hosted Welcoming Week 2024, a campaign highlighting communities working to provide economic opportunity and immigrant inclusion.
The kick-off launched a worldwide celebration in other countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland and Spain.
The Motor City will also host a conference in 2025 to brainstorm ways to create economic development and inclusive communities.